Manchester United’s pre-season preparations at Carrington have been thrown into disarray by persistent squad unrest and damaging leaks, creating a challenging environment for manager Ruben Amorim as he seeks to rebuild the team for the 2025/26 season.
The ongoing issues, including unresolved player departures, internal conflicts, and recurring team news leaks, have frustrated Amorim’s efforts to establish a cohesive squad, casting a shadow over the club’s ambitions following a disastrous 15th-place finish in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
The unrest centers around a group of five players—Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony, and Tyrell Malacia—who have been deemed surplus to requirements by Amorim.
Despite his clear directive for them to find new clubs, progress on their departures has been painfully slow, with no sales finalized as pre-season training began on July 7, 2025. Sources indicate that Amorim had hoped for significant headway during his five-week absence from Carrington, but the players’ continued presence has complicated his plans.
Rashford, for instance, has returned to train individually at Carrington, coordinating his sessions to avoid the main squad, while the others have delayed their return until later in July, presumably to facilitate transfers. This situation, described as a “shadow hanging over Carrington,” has disrupted Amorim’s vision of a streamlined squad focused on his tactical philosophy.
Adding to the turmoil, leaks of sensitive team information continue to plague the club, a problem that has persisted since Jose Mourinho’s tenure. In December 2024, Amorim’s starting XI for the Manchester derby was leaked nearly 24 hours before kickoff, prompting an investigation that questioned Garnacho and Amad Diallo, though no conclusive source was identified.
Amorim acknowledged the issue, stating, “It’s impossible to fix nowadays because you have a lot of people in the club. Players talk with agents, friends. It’s not a good thing, but let’s move on.” While leaks reportedly decreased after Amorim addressed the issue publicly in January 2025, the problem resurfaced during pre-season, with reports suggesting ongoing breaches of confidentiality. These leaks undermine Amorim’s authority and tactical preparations, particularly as he tries to implement his 3-4-3 system with a squad not fully aligned with his demands.
The squad unrest is further fueled by public disputes and poor player conduct. Garnacho’s fallout with Amorim, exacerbated by his brother Roberto’s social media posts accusing the manager of throwing the winger “under the bus” after the Europa League final loss to Tottenham, has deepened tensions.
Rashford’s solo training and social media activity, including changing his X bio to “England International Footballer,” signal his disconnect from the club. Similarly, the failure to offload high-earners like Antony, signed for £86 million, and Sancho, who previously trained alone under Erik ten Hag, has frustrated Amorim’s efforts to foster a tight-knit group.
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has backed Amorim’s hardline approach, criticizing Garnacho’s mentality and supporting the decision to exclude players who don’t meet the manager’s standards, but he also warned that the club’s public handling of these issues risks devaluing the players in the transfer market.
Amorim’s frustration is compounded by slow progress in the transfer market. While Matheus Cunha’s £62.5 million signing from Wolves and Diego Leon’s arrival from Cerro Porteno mark steps forward, the prolonged negotiations for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo—now in their sixth week—have drawn criticism from Ferdinand, who called the delay a potential “embarrassment” for United.
The lack of outgoing transfers has limited funds and squad space, hampering Amorim’s ability to reshape the team. Posts on X reflect fan discontent, with users like @valenciasen66 and @jkisthe1 lamenting the lack of ambition from INEOS, noting that pre-season began with only one new signing and no sales.
The upgraded £50 million Carrington facilities, part of “Project Avalon,” were meant to provide a fresh start, but the unresolved player issues and leaks have overshadowed these improvements.
Amorim’s vision of using “every minute” of pre-season to instill his methods is being undermined by a squad still grappling with the same cultural and professional shortcomings that led to last season’s failures.
As United prepare for their first friendly against Leeds United in Stockholm on July 19, 2025, and a subsequent US tour, the ongoing unrest and leaks threaten to derail Amorim’s efforts to turn the club around, placing immense pressure on him to deliver results from the outset of the new season.
